Papertrigger

Who? According the band, a "paper trigger" is anapparatus that releases water into a toilet bowl. With jokes aside,Papertrigger is five guys from Syracuse, NY who now reside inPhiladelphia, PA; Chris Manglos (vocals/piano), Josh Taylor (guitar),Brian Dwyer (drums/vocals), Adam Smith (bass) and Andrew Honess(guitar). Their self-released debut, the Riot Lovers EP, arrived earlier this month.

What's the Deal?Riot Loverscould have been recorded in an old western saloon on Neptune. Manglos'prominent classical piano style and the group's infectious indie rocksound have drawn comparisons to Beirut and Ben Folds, butPapertrigger's distinctive combination of soulful vocals, gutturalbaselines, and crashing drums is too immense to fit into any genre. "WeAre Nations Now!" is an operatic rock arpeggio featuring a raucouschorus, which could very well be sung by drunken pirates. Fans ofPortishead and Joe Henry will be enticed by "Fox Hunting," a steadyladder of heavy reverb where Manglos and Dwyer climb in a slow rhythmof melancholy vocals. The near-five minute "The Inner Party" feels likea noir detective story narrated by dissonant piano chords, windingguitar riffs, and an elusive saxophone.

Fun Fact:Bassist Adam Smith and drummer Brian Dwyer once participated in amedical study together. They spent 11 days in a laboratory withoutsunlight, cell phones, or outside contact. Dwyer tells SPIN.com, "It'sprobably the craziest thing he and I have ever done for money."